I long have wanted to write about the Bakhtiari nomads living above Isfahan, in the mountains of Chahar Mahal, who still today migrate by millions from the summer grasslands to the winter ones, from the valleys up the mountains, along spectacular roads, swimming over rapid mountain rivers together with their flocks, as it was shown in the first Iranian ethnographic film, the Grass (1925), and who in the spring descend with colorful carts to Isfahan to pass in the bazaar their rugs made in the wintertime. For a starter, let us see the photo series made on them by Alieh Sâdatpur – the photographer recording the old bicycles of Isfahan –, found on the blog of the Bakhtiari folk musician Bahman Alaeddin, that is Masoud Bakhtyari. The accompanying music is also taken from his album.

7 comentarios:

Then, Studiolum, please let us know something more about Bakhtiari nomads. Yes, I could find informations on the net, but I love the way you tell us your stories. Those pictures are amazing: the contrast between beautiful oriental carpets and the hard ground, the red or black tea drinked in a tea plate. I am especially moved by the child carrying a sheep: he reminds me of those little statuettes usually present in our creches.And what is that stone animal?

Yes, I will write more on what I know about them, both from my readings and my encounters with them; illustrated with pictures either from the Persian web and from the excellent photo albums purchased in Iran, or taken by myself.

The peculiarity of many nomadic groups in western Iran is that they are either “secondary nomads”, once having been farmers and belonging to high civilizations but forced into the mountains by the continuous Ottoman-Persian wars of the past five centuries, or/and gradually becoming at least part-time farmers again since the reforms of Shah Reza Pahlavi in the 1920s. Many Kurdish and Bakhtiari tribes belong to both groups. This is reflected in their contrasted material culture, as well as in the stone lion, the traditional tombstone of great tribal chiefs, inherited ultimately from the ancient Median culture.

thank you for your words of explanation, also illustrated in the next post you have, while I'm writing this note, already posted.Studiolum, about your ecounters with the nomads: do you mean you have been there, on the fields of the imperial crowns?